Counter for condensible radioactive gases

ABSTRACT

A system for measuring the radiation emitted from a condensible radioactive gas. A specimen of the gas to be measured is introduced into a vacuumtight environment which also contains the detector for making the measurements. A cold spot is produced in proximity to the detector and a portion of the gas is condensed thereon, and measured in condensed state. A Dewar flask containing liquid nitrogen or other suitable refrigerant provides the cooling medium for producing the cold spot. Various arrangements of the cold spot vacuum chamber and the sample chamber in their relation to the Dewar flask are shown. Modifications of the basic idea deal with the location of the sample chamber and the cold spot vacuum chamber relative to the Dewar flask.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Robert W. Bench [56] References Cited fi t lr la; F b h w i M UNITED STATES PATENTS r ur .elus, estie: I Car.- schvubauer, MiddlesexNJ. 3,458,701 7/1969 Schell 250/83 [21 I ApplQNo. 735,329 1 Primary ExaminerArchie R. Borchelt [22] Filed June 7, I968 AttorneysHarry A. Herbert, Jr. and Ruth G. Codier [45] Patented Jam-26. 1971 [73] Assignee the United States oi Americmas I I represented by he secretary of the Air ABSTRACT: A system for measuring the radiation emitted Force from a condensible radioactive gas. A specimen of the gas to be measured is introduced into a vacuumtight environment I t which also contains the detector for making the measurea ments. A cold spot is produced in proximity to the detector [54] COUNTER FOR CONDENSIBLE RADIOACTIVE and a portion of the gas is condensed thereon, and measured GASES in condensed state. A Dewar flask containing liquid nitrogen 1 Clalmi 3 Drawing Flgsor other suitable refri erant rovides the coolin medium for g P g 52 user 250/83, Producing the cold P Various arrangements of the eeld 250 435 spot vacuum chamber and the sample chamber in their rela- [51 mu G0lt 1/16 iion to the Dew flask are shown- Modifications of the basic [50] Field of Search 250/43.5R, idea deal with the'location of the Sample chamber and the-cold 83 spot vacuum chamber relative to the Dewar flask.

11, so 7 i PATENTEDJANZBIBYI 3558;883

SHEET 1 OF 2 I H, I I0 I i I I I N VENTORS ROBERT W. BENCH ARTHUR M. FEIBUSH CARL T. 2% AU PATENTEnJAuzs l9?! SHEET 2 OF 2 mvsmoRs I ROBERT w. BENCH ARTHUR M.FEIBUSH on 'r. SCH a UER device.

- 'countsRToweoNpENsrBnteRwmoAc rtvEeAsEs BAcKGR'ou 'NDoFmHE lNvENnoN Thisfi nvcntion relates generally to measurement of'radiationemitted'from acondensible radioactivc gas, andmore aparticular'ly' to anappartitusain whic h a' sample of. gas can be fmaintaine d-in athin disc position oppositetotheface of a semiconduetordetector i 1 i *Difficulties have been encountered where '1 attempts have 5 beengnade" to measure radioactivity of gases. In -the processes and equipment now :available, I contamination ofjthe radioactiveigasesfbeingumeasured isverydiffictiltto avoid. ,"fhe cause of thisfcon'tamination genera'llyiscontactwithaother media occurring insys'te'mswhe're othervgases orl-iquids"are .part of=the t i measuring device.

SUMM/XRY'UF THE lNVENTlON .The ;'present I invention 1 provides. a counter for condensible raclioactivei gases with i an environment wherein the specimen 'to' be measured-is condensed and its radioactivity is'measured =by'asolidstate detector. I I The-object of theinvention is=toprovide a device for the measurement of radioactivity in gases wherein 1 the :gas being measuredaiskeptin a .pure-and uncontaminated state-made ipossibleby -.the device and =the.process'. Theagascan furthermore be withdrawn from the system stored and used again without danger of contamination by any. foreign substances.

A further objectof the invention is the provision of a device capable of identifying radioactive isotopes.

A still'further object of *theinvention is the'identification and quantitative determination whereinstandard. p'ulse height anr'ilysis' techniques may beIernployed.

. further object of theinverition'isa provision ofa'device wherein a sample of gascan be introduced, .without contarnination, into-a chamber, condensed-"thereinon a cold spot 'to fo'rm a disc whose 'position-iis opposite toahe face of a semiconductor solid state detector.

i stillfui'ther' object of the invention isthe provision of a device as described above wherein-attic entire .asse'rnbly is vacuum tight, .as well as demountable.

A further object of the invention is-the provision of effective arrangements of solid-state detector, cold spot disc and the arrangement ofthe refrigerant for effective cooling.

F1052 is a cross-sectionalview of aimodification of the device of'FlGilyand FlG. 3 is a furthermodificationshowing refinements-of the oizse mnriou OF ONEJEMBODIMENT- v R fe'rring more in i detailto FIG. if of the. drawing, a :glass war vessel l hasa lower'reduced portion] 1-2 terminating in ngle walledflat :glass; plate 14 which is cooled by liquid ogenorother coolant containeddn the 'vessel d0, and

becomes. the colds'p'ot disc? foregas condensation into solid form. g f :A solid-stateradiation 'detect'orsueh as a lithium-drifted siliconorvgermanium wafer i16 isgmounte'd" beneath the singlewan plateal4 in a mounting l'8which provides a chamber 21 The radioactive gasw'hose emitted radiation is to be measured is admittedtothe chamber 2 l-in the vacuumtight vessel or mounting"l8 -thc side arm -22being-connected to a suitable vacuum pumping means. v in i Thedctector 16 is provided with suitable electricalconnections .24. The arrangem'ent i's such that-"deteetor'alo can he maintainedin ahigh vacuum'within the eliambertti. while it is at the same time connected electrically t'o oth'er equipment -maintaincdin ordinary atmosphere. The unit indieated at 24.

performsthis'function and also provides the iitlift ftir the gas to bemeasured. lt isJof course. lead intothe chamber y' coinpression fittings.

- Theiform of theiDewar flask and the arrangement ofth'e vacuum chamber and its outlet'may be modified as the u'se'of *thedevice dictates, FIG. 2 isa schematic showing of such a modification. The gasinlet'22' is l'ocated at the base of the vessel-l8. v

The counter is operated as follows: The components are as sembled and positioned as desired. The assembly'is evacuated =throughthe side arm 22 and the radioactive gas is admitted through assembly 24and condensed-onthc bottom disc portion 14 of the'Dewar vessel 10 b'y filling the latter'with suitable refrigerant. The solid-state radiation detector 16 is then used in 'the conventional way .to measure the emitted radiation to whichfit is exposed. T he gas may be expanded and recondensed as often asdesired without adulteration. and may readily berecoveredinthe'pure state. by transfer to another container.

DESCRIPTION OF ANOTHER EMBODIMENT "Later developments have produced still further refinements :ofthe device. Referring'to FIG. 3, the cold spot vacuum chamber40 islocated'insicl ethe Dcwarv flask 42 instead of being located below it, as in the embodiments shown in FIGS. "1 and 2, and the sample chamber 44 is located on an element "46 :which'forms a top closure'for the flask 42. Liquid nitrogen is admittedto theflaskthrough inlet and outlet 47 and '49,

respectively, with filter elemcnt-48 provided when needed. Outlet.'=49 isprovided for purging the device. -A detector 50 is amounted in a detector housing 52 which is itself mounted on a :detector heat sink 54. Liquid nitrogen is admitted from a t pump (not shown) or from the Dewar flask, is heated to suitablegtemperatures by'the heaters 56, is conveyed to, around and away from the heat sink by ducts 58, and 62, and lead back into the Dewar flask 42. The environment of the detector is thus carefully-regulated by this means and by heaters 64 and thermometers 66.

A quantity of the gas within the sample chamber condenses on the cold spot disc- 68, which forms a portion of common wall-between the sample chamber 44 and the cold spot vacuum chamber 40. The condensation is effected by liquid nitrogen being pumped through the inlet to provide cooling 'for'the element 72 attached to the disc 68, and is withdrawn through outlet 74 and delivered back to the Dewar flask.

:The gas to be measured is admitted to the sample chamber 44 through inlet "76', after'a high vacuum has been obtained for insuringthepurity of the specimen. A Hastings gaugc 78 or equal provides for measurement of the pressure within the sample chamber.

The device of FlG. *3 operates in principle the same as th'e simpler device of FlG.-l. The'components are assembled and positionedas desired. The sample chamber 20 of FIG. 1 and 44 of FIG. '3 are evacuated. The radioactive gas wh'ose measurement is to be made is admitted. Condensation of a portion of the sample then takes place on the cold spot disc, 14 in FIG. 1 and 68 of FIG. 3.-The disc in each case has been brought to a temperature sufficiently low to cause this condensation by means in each case which have been described. The solid-state capable of being maintained at a high vacuum. The vacuum- 'vssel' li). the contact being a compression fitting tight-mounting 18 contains the lower portion' l Z of the Dewar radiation detectorthen measures the-radiation emitted from the condensed sample.

It will now be evident that there is no possibility of contamination and'that the gas may be expanded and recondenscd, transferred to other containing media as often as desired and without danger of contamination.

Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments. it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of a variety of alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For eiiample, the embodiment of FIG. 3 may be provided with additional thermometers or thermostats 80 and heater 82 for additional environmental control of the apparatus. Additionally, liquid level sensors 84 may be provided.

We claim:

1. A device for measurement of radioactivity in radioactive gases, said device comprising a vacuum chamber for introduction and containment in pure form of the gas to be measured, a solid state radiation detector located in said vacuum chamber, a refrigerant chamber in the form of a Dewar flask.

by said solid state radiation detecto'ri s'aid Dewar flask having inlet and outlet means for supplyinga refrigerant gas to said flask said refrigerant chamber being contained within said Dewar flask, means for conveying refrigerant from said Dewar flask to said refrigerant chamber and to the vicinity of said cold spot disc, and means for converting refrigerant from said Dewar flask to the vicinity of said radioactive detector in said vacuum chamber for providing a heat sink for said detector. 

